Four of rock’s biggest and most iconic personalities Or, at least, three of rock’s most iconic personalities and John McVie. The band’s exceedingly low-key bassist kept very much to himself for the balance of this two-and-a-half-hour marathon, only being thrown into the spotlight during the famously groovy outro of “The Chain.” Otherwise, he let his bandmates do all the heavy lifting, which was easy: Fleetwood Mac’s alluringly combustible blend of personalities is a large part of where the band gets their mystique. While the crowd basked in the warm glow of Stevie Nicks, drummer Mick Fleetwood also kept a relatively low profile, spending the balance of the show coolly turning out his trademark airy drum fills behind his massive kit. The running of the show was left to the leather-jacketed Lindsey Buckingham, who reeled off sprightly guitar lines and belted the band’s hits with McCartney-level stamina.

For the bulk of their 40-plus years in the music industry, Fleetwood Mac’s lofty status as rock gods stemmed directly from their lead vocalist, Stevie Nicks. These days, the still-touring group thrives, and probably would with or without her.

Their Tuesday night date at the ACC (Toronto) was a collective tour-de-force in which the band’s bold sound carried an impactful, fluid rhythm from all four members. The beats of drummer Mick Fleetwood were consistently in flow with John McVie’s bass, which meshed perfectly with the notes that launched off of Lindsey Buckingham’s guitar strings. But it was clear that Nicks’ airy style was strangely at odds with what was a powerful, high-energy show.

That it was Nicks who served as the weak link in the chain is less an indictment of the 64-year-old singer and more of a commentary on the continued excellence of the group as a whole, and a testament to Buckingham’s stellar vocals. The band was often at its strongest when Nicks was an afterthought.

Stevie Nicks is timeless. This was confirmed to me last night while witnessing Fleetwood Mac perform live at the ACC. At 64, Nicks feels with the same tumultuously beautiful energy her younger counterpart invented more than three decades ago. Her love affair with Lindsey Buckingham still feels imminent with an energy that moved me as I watched her introduce "Without You" with an anecdote about how wild and stupid and in love they were before it all happened. Buckingham bookended their unrequited romance during a second encore of Say Goodbye from Say You Will by telling Nicks the song was for her.

The emotional intensity that still exists on stage had me wondering if I got to witness this display for the first time. And if not, how on earth they drudge up these seminal emotions night after night. Their performance was honest and intimate and took me right out of my 300 level nosebleed seat into a glimpse at the history of icons.

Fleetwood MacA band that still enjoys performing together will sound like one
By KEVIN RITCHIENow Toronto
NOW RATING: NNNN

Early in last night's Fleetwood Mac’s concert, Lindsey Buckingham introduced a mini-set of songs from the California rock group’s 1979 album Tusk – the experimental follow-up to their mega-selling Rumours LP – by explaining that the band has always worked to subvert the formulas record execs insisted they submit to.

But after 35 years of ups and downs, an inescapable formula prevails: the Mac remains a band of highly distinct musical personalities that offers a little something for everyone.

Now that singer Christine McVie has retired, the dynamic has refocused on singer Stevie Nicks and singer/guitarist Buckingham’s tempestuous relationship. It’s familiar subject matter for many, yet clearly still vital, as the band filled their two-hour-plus set with a virtuosic energy that tapped into the biting sentiment simmering beneath their deceptively pretty harmonies.

A trio of Rumours hits was a warm-up for new song Sad Angel, a rollicking countrified tune tailored to play up Buckingham’s precision finger-picking – foreshadowing for his astonishing, five-minute solo during I’m So Afraid.

Clearly still basking in the recent critical re-appraisal of Tusk, they revived Not That Funny and Sisters of the Moon with pounding aggression. Nicks and Buckingham might sound huskier, their phrasing rougher, but their reverence for each other kept, oh say, a brilliant acoustic rendition of Landslide from careening into a phoned-in greatest hits trap.

If Fleetwood Mac has mastered another formula in their longevity, it is this: A band that still enjoys performing together will sound like one.

A full house of likely three-generations of families, paid witness to an epic concert last night at the ACC thanks to Fleetwood Mac turning the clock back some thirty-five years! It totally rocked! This was the closest to a “real” 1970’s concert that you will experience! I’ve lost count of the number of major concerts I have seen. Last time I checked it was well over two hundred. A good percentage of them have been Classic Rock bands. I cannot remember the last time I saw such an amazing “greatest hits” concert! Fleetwood Mac, consisting of Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks (Christine McVie being the only main member missing) entertained a very lively and connected crowd for over two-and-a-half hours. They have never played or sounded better!

Growing up in the generation that spawned bands such as Fleetwood Mac, I always considered them to be more the sum of the parts. In other words, no one shone over the other. They had hit after hit and it was the “band” that stood out. Last night, while the band certainly did shine as a whole, it became clear the individual talent that each had and how it has not been lost with the ages!

FLEETWOOD MAC NEWS ON FACEBOOK

In April, 2013 New York Times Author Anthony Bozza began working with legendary drummer Mick Fleetwood on his life story, which will span the entire history of the band that bears his name.

In this candid, intimate portrait of a life lived in music, Mick Fleetwood sheds new light on well-known points in his history, including many incredible moments of recording and touring with Fleetwood Mac, as well as personal insights from a man who has been a major player in blues and rock 'n' roll since his teens.

The group Fleetwood Mac has sold over 140 million records worldwide, and they continue to attract a huge following, selling out their biggest arena tour ever in 2013, decades after their debut. Finally, the group's admirers will have a unique portrait of what made Mick and the rest of the group tick in the midst of their massive success and personal trials.

Stevie Nicks made history in March when the beloved singer-songwriter became the first female artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice - first as a member of Fleetwood Mac in 1998, and this year for an extraordinary solo career that spans nearly 40 years.

To honor Nicks' groundbreaking achievement, Rhino has assembled a variety of new releases that celebrate her solo career with essential recordings chosen from studio albums, live performances, and soundtrack contributions, plus several of her most-celebrated collaborations with artists including Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Don Henley, Lana Del Rey, and Lady Antebellum.

STAND BACK is available On 3-CD, 1-CD, 6-LP Vinyl, And Digital Versions.

Fleetwood Mac celebrates half century of music with a new 50-song collection that is the first to explore the group's entire career, from its early days playing the blues, to its global success as one of the most-enduring and best-selling bands in rock history. 50 YEARS-DON'T STOP is available as a 50-track, 3-CD set, a 5-LP vinyl set and a 20-track single CD version. Also available on all digital download and streaming services as well.

The new compilation touches on every era in the band's rich history and offers a deep dive into Fleetwood Mac's expansive catalog by bringing together essential tracks released between 1968 and 2013.

Solo Anthology: The Best of Lindsey Buckingham is a comprehensive record of his illustrious career. Out October 5th on Rhino Records, Buckingham’s Solo Anthology will be released as a 3-disc set on CD and digitally and will also be available as a single disc abridged release. A 6-LP vinyl release is slated for November 30th.

Similar to last year's Record Store Day where Fleetwood Mac released the alternate "Mirage" album by taking the previously issued CD from the duluxe edition reissue and making it a stand alone album, Fleetwood Mac will once again bust out the alternative album cd from 2017's deluxe reissue of "Tango In The Night". For the very first time, these alternate tracks will make their way to vinyl for this years Record Store Day on April 21st. Warner Bros. will press 4,000 copies of the vinyl for the US and 8,500 in total worldwide.

“Most of these songs were written between 1969 and 1987. One was written in 1994 and one in 1995. I included them because they seemed to belong to this special group. Each song is a lifetime. Each song has a soul. Each song has a purpose. Each song is a love story… They represent my life behind the scenes, the secrets, the broken hearts, the broken hearted and the survivors. These songs are the memories - the 24 karat gold rings in the blue box. These songs are for you,” commented Nicks.

Order '24 Karat Gold - Songs From The Vault

FLEETWOOD MAC 'TANGO IN THE NIGHT'

REMASTERED AND EXPANDED

(RELEASED MARCH 31, 2017)

Featuring the hits “Little Lies,” “Everywhere,” “Seven Wonders” and “Big Love,” this 30th anniversary collection is available in Deluxe- 1LP/3CD/1DVD, Expanded - 2CD, 1CD Remaster and Digital Download and on all streaming services.

MERCHANDISE

NEW ALBUM IN THE WORKS
Christine was a guest on the Ken Bruce radio program on BBC Radio 2 and was featured each morning between Oct 7th and 11th choosing the "Tracks of My Years". Each day included a short interview clip with Christine along with her track choice and why. During the last day Christine revealed that she's currently working on new material and hopefully a forthcoming solo album saying its a return to her musical sound of the 70's.